Fourche Valley Golf Club

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Fourche Valley Golf Club in Potosi, MO has a beautiful layout and is a lot of fun to play, typical of a Gary Kern-designed course. The first 2 holes are seemingly flat and uninspired until you walk up to the first tee and see a medium size, but very wide, walnut tree smack dab in the middle of the fairway, about 250 yards away. There are about 10 courses in the state with large trees in the middle of the fairway. On one hand, I just don’t get it; it goes against the unwritten morals of golf. On the other hand, I LOVE IT. This tree puts a different spin on the hole every time you play it, because very few golfers hit a drive the same distance, trajectory and direction every time. So, you will have to re-strategize every time you play the first hole, deciding if you should go over, under, around, or through it.

After the second hole you make a turn up the hill into Potosi’s Shangri-La of golf, the 3rd through the 7th holes. There should be an alter, with candles, at the base of each of the tee boxes so that you can sacrifice a brand new ProV1 to the golf Gods before hitting your drive. These holes are some of the best in Missouri. The 4th hole, in particular is worthy of a trip to Potosi by itself. It is a 171 yard par three over a deep ravine with a babbling brook running across the base.

As soon as the course figures out their grass issues, particularly the greens which needs some significant TLC, they will have one of the best 9 hole courses in the state.

The really cool thing about Fourche Valley Golf Club is that it is a community passion point. They take pride in this course and, in fact, you will be able to find members on the course throughout the day, every day, not playing but mowing, fixing the sprinkler system, painting the club house, shooting copperheads in one the many streams running throughout the course, etc.

If you get the chance, make the drive to Potosi and play Fourche Valley. While you are there, say hello to the Men’s League President, Steve McFarland, who is a great representative of the club.